REVIEW: Alt-J, Bournemouth 02 Academy.

REVIEW: Alt-J, Bournemouth 02 Academy.

A PACKED O2 Academy was treated to one of the shows of the year by the genre-defying Alt-J.

The award winning trio wowed the Bournemouth masses on Wednesday night as they played the seaside town for the first time in two years.

The visit followed the release of their third album Relaxer, widely heralded as one of the best albums of 2017.

The lively crowd were in fantastic voice as the band rocked out tunes from their new album including 3WW, Adeline and In Cold Blood.

Fans also sung their hearts out to classics including Left Hand Free, Every Other Freckle, Taro, Fitzpleasure and Breezeblocks.

But it wasn't just the music that made the show special. An incredible lights display more than added to the performance, creating an atmosphere that sucked in the crowd.

The show added to the acclaim the band has received in 2017, which has been dubbed one of the best since their formation. It has included a headline date at London’s O2 Arena for the venue’s tenth birthday celebrations and a huge summer of UK and international shows, including Glastonbury.

And it could be also said that it was a homecoming of sorts for Southampton-born lead vocalist Joe Newman, with several song referencing the city.

Joe, from Highfield, fronts the alternative rockers who won the best album category at the Ivor Novello awards for their debut release An Awesome Wave, which also scooped the prestigious Mercury Music Prize the previous year.

Joe was a pupil at the city’s Cantell School from 1999 to 2004. The school also lists Coldplay’s Will Champion, Russell Marsden and Matt Hayward, two thirds of Band of Skulls, and Jack Wylie and Milo Fitzpatrick form Portico Quartet among its illustrious list of musical former pupils.

Support came from Hampshire’s Radio One stars Blaenavon, who played an exceptional show worthy of their own gig. A lively crowd welcomed lead singer-guitarist Ben Gregory, bassist Frank Wright and drummer Harris McMillan, to the venue as fans geared up to see Alt J. Blaenavon sold out The Joiners in March, and played epic tunes including Orthodox Man, Let’s Pray and Lonely Side, from their pioneering debut album That’s Your Lot.

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